Note: The medical profession takes the view that the parent’s/carer’s consent to medical treatment cannot be delegated. This view is explicit in The Children’s Act 1989. Thus, medical consent forms have no legal status and a doctor or nurse insisting on the consent of a parent/carer to a particular treatment has the right to do so. For this reason we do not recommend that Leaders insist on parents/carers signing the statement above. However, it can be a comfort to medical staff to have general consent in advance from parents/carers or to have a Leader on hand able to sign forms required by medical authorities.